Tips for Flossing with Braces

Braces can straighten your teeth and give you a better smile, but they can also be quite difficult to clean. It can be hard to clean your teeth while wearing braces because of the hardware involved. The wires and brackets cover a lot of space and prevent your toothbrush from getting into hard-to-reach areas. If you thought brushing your teeth was harder with braces, flossing with braces is even worse.

On average, braces can force you to spend twice as much time flossing. Fortunately, there are several tips that you can use to speed up the process of flossing with braces and get better results.

Use a Floss Threader

Braces can block your teeth and gums, so they can make it nearly impossible to floss properly. A floss threader serves as an effective tool for flossing, and it can make the process much easier.

When you start using it, you’ll realize that it’s very similar to threading a needle. You must pull the floss through the needle and use it to maneuver behind the wires. Although it’s not a revolutionary breakthrough, this tool can make it much easier to floss your teeth.

Waxed Floss

Despite its usefulness, this product isn’t nearly as popular as it should be. When you use floss that isn’t waxed, it can get caught on your braces and make cleaning much harder.

If you’re having trouble with floss that isn’t waxed, you should try a waxed alternative. Since it has smooth wax on it, the thread glides freely between your teeth, and you don’t have to worry about it getting torn and sticking to your braces.

Try a Water Pick

A lot of people have stopped using traditional dental floss, and they’ve switched to using a water pick. If you have braces, a water pick offers several advantages.

Braces can make it very hard to get floss between the teeth, but a water pick doesn’t function like regular floss. The pick is a handheld instrument, and it uses water pressure to blast bacteria and food from between your teeth.

A pressurized stream of water doesn’t have the same problems that you’d expect from regular floss. By flossing with a water pick, you can remove annoying debris and bacteria. The pressurized stream of water is also effective for stimulating your gums, which can give you relief from inflammation.

Pay Attention

When you have braces, it’s always going to be a bit harder to floss your teeth. The biggest mistake that people make while flossing with braces is not spending enough time on the process.

Flossing requires diligence and must be performed carefully. By spending more time on the process, you can make sure that your teeth are getting cleaned properly, which will result in better overall dental health.

You don’t want to counteract the benefits of wearing braces by not spending enough time flossing and cleaning your teeth. You can learn more about the tips for flossing with braces during an orthodontic appointment at Runnels Orthodontics in Panama City Beach or Destin. We also serve the following areas: Seaside, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Miramar Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Rosemary Beach, Panama City Beach, Freeport and Panama City. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.